20-08-04

French President Jacques Chirac urged the installing of a new system for the development of biofuels.

Chirac "emphasized the great importance of the development of bio-energy to agriculture, environment and energy," said the government spokesman Jean-Francois Cope. The French president hoped to install a system, which is expected to start from the beginning of 2005, to accelerate the development and diffusion of biofuels, Cope said.

French Agriculture Minister Herve Gaymard said at the ministerial meeting that the biofuel development plan would be worked out after discussions between representatives from agriculture, forest and energy sectors. The French government will take necessary steps to conform to European Union's advice setting the portion of biofuels and other renewable fuels in sale in France at 5.75 % in 2010, according to Gaymard.

"The biofuels, which are renewable energy, contribute to the environmental protection and ensure the market to our agriculture, " said Gaymard.

The substitution of biofuels for fossil fuels will save 11 mm tons of oil and will also prevent an emission of 16 mm tons of carbon dioxide, he added.

French Minister Delegate for Industry Patrick Devedjian affirmed on April 15 that the government favoured the development of biofuels, whose prices are twice higher than oil prices.

Source: Xinhua